Following the production and threading of pipe, such as pipe used in the transfer of natural gas and oil, the threads of the pipe, which are susceptible to damage by impact of shear forces, must be protected during transporting as well as storage. Damage to a thread on a pipe can result in the rejection of the entire pipe section and the attendant cost of replacement.
Numerous constructions have been proposed for protective means for pipe threads, some using metal, fibrous or plastic parts or combinations of such materials. Previous such constructions have generally suffered from the complexity of the protectors, the cost of fabrication of such protectors, and the cost of labor needed to assemble such protectors onto a threaded pipe. In addition, the danger of loosening or separation of the protector from the pipe is a serious problem, especially in view of the vibrations and various impacts that pipes with protectors thereon are subjected to during loading, transporting, and unloading.